fbpx

Call us today! 949-716-1938

Inspired Remodels

Bathroom Remodel

General Contractors Guide to Tile

By / Bathroom Remodel, Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off on General Contractors Guide to Tile

It doesn’t matter if you are thinking of updating one room or the whole house. Chances are you are thinking about tile. With so many types of tile on the market, picking the right tile is tough. Inspired Remodels takes the headache out of picking the right tile. Take our advice as general contractors, decide on the tile material first and then the design of the tile. It makes the job of selecting tile much easier. Here’s a general contractors guide to the different types of tile.

general contractors use ceramic tile in bathroom for durabilityCeramic Tile

Ceramic tile has been popular for hundreds of years. It is a clay-based product. You’ll find ceramic tiles in the bathroom and kitchen. They are on walls, floors, backsplashes and showers.

Ceramic tile is an easy care material. Like other hard surface materials, you can wipe up spills easily, vacuum and wet mop tile. Glazed tile doesn’t normally stain and it doesn’t absorb water. However,  like with all tiles, you’ll want to seal the grout to protect staining, but ceramic tile itself does not need sealing. Because it is impervious to water, it’s perfect for bathrooms.

Ceramic tiles are made in squares, hexagons, circles and more. It is a relatively inexpensive tile. It is also not the hardest clay tile. So, it’s not the best choice for high traffic areas.

Porcelain Tile

There is a difference between ceramic and porcelain tile.  Yes, both are clay-based products. But, there is a difference in the clay based used to make the tile. With porcelain, the clay is highly refined and much more purified than the clay used to make ceramic tile. In addition, porcelain tile is fired at a higher temperature. The result is a tile that is more durable and stronger than ceramic tile.

Don’t use the terms ceramic tile and porcelain tile interchangeably. They aren’t the same. Porcelain is more expensive than ceramic because it is more durable. Like ceramic tiles, it is glazed and will not absorb water. It’s equally at home in the bathroom as in the kitchen, hallways, mudrooms or other frequently trafficked areas.

If you pick ceramic or porcelain tile, when choosing the actual tile color or design, make sure it is a through-tile. This means the color is not only applied to the top of the tile but permeates through. This is a very important feature. Surface colored tile shows every chip and ding.

Satillo or Terracotta Tile

When you think satillo or terracotta tile, you usually think of patios and entryways. But it can be used indoors as well. This clay-based tile is not glazed and needs to be resealed every few years whether installed inside or outside.

It’s a warm looking and feeling tile. Satillo tile doesn’t get as cold underfoot at ceramic or porcelain. But, because it absorbs water, you don’t want to use it in the shower. But it’s perfect for sunrooms and transitional spaces.

Stone Tile

Limestone, marble and slate are all popular tiles for use throughout the house. Each type of stone has its challenges when it comes to installation. Installing stone tiles isn’t a DIY undertaking. This is one place where the work is best left in the hands of general contractors.

That being said, stone tiles are popular on bathroom floors, in showers, on walls and backsplashes. Depending on the stone you pick, it may need sealing periodically. Granite floors can be slippery and limestone is easily damaged by the wrong pH cleaner.

Talk to your general contractor about how you will use a space and who will use a space to determine if the stone you have in mind is a good match for your application.

Stone tiles can look warm (think limestone or slate) or cool (think granite or marble). When it comes to cost, stone will be more expensive than ceramic or porcelain. But with the proper care, it will last much longer.

Glass and Metal

These two materials get an honorable mention for their decorative applications. They are not suitable for floors, but make lovely accent tiles on walls, fireplaces, and backsplashes. Glass and metal may be mixed with other materials in a mosaic design. Both materials are easily scratched, so take care when cleaning.

General Contractors Make the Difference

When it comes to new tiles for the floors or walls, the general contractor you pick does make a difference. General contractors that have your best interest in mind will let you know if a material you pick isn’t the best material for the application.  Respect their expertise and listen closely to their recommendations. When it comes to making dreams a reality, turn to Inspired Remodels. They will guide you through the design process and make sure the remodel is not only beautiful but functional.

Call (949) 716-1938 or Contact Us online today to talk about your next remodel or renovation. And if you decide to move instead of remodel, we can help with that too. Inspired Realty is our complete real estate brokerage firm.

quotes from home improvement contractors

Kitchen and Bath Contractors Connect Spaces With Style

By / Bathroom Remodel, Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off on Kitchen and Bath Contractors Connect Spaces With Style

One of the most difficult tasks in a home remodel is making the space flow from one room to another. Just because you want the bathroom to be painted one color doesn’t mean you want the entire home in the same shade. Savvy kitchen and bath contractors know how to unite spaces. Using complementary shades and themes, you can tie retro and modern together and end up with a perfectly traditional look. Here’s how Inspired Remodels handled it.

Traditional Kitchen with Whimsy

Start with the trendy but eternal look of Shaker cabinets. The clean lines of Shaker cabinetry are a classic. Originally designed by Shaker craftsman to be simple, durable, and most of all functional. They speak to a post-modern sensibility where less is more. Of course their simple and unassuming lines lend themselves to a wide variety of installations. In this installation, the brushed nickel hardware adds a futuristic look. 

Next, addkitchen and bath contractors use complimentary colors to create unity without uniformity stainless appliances. Like Shaker cabinets, the taste for stainless hasn’t been satiated in the kitchen yet. They give an industrial, modern look that is in perfect contrast to the timelessness of the cabinetry.  Gray-veined countertops pull it all together.

Lastly, inject a bit of whimsy into the design with the spectacular backsplash. The cooktop, dual ovens and industrial hood may scream business, but the tile on the backsplash is all about having fun and being creative in the kitchen. The result is a modern but traditional look that can be easily carried to other rooms

 

kitchen and bath contractors use complimentary colors to create unity without uniformityCarry it to the Guest Bath

The problem with a guest bath this nice is your guests may never leave. Friends and family will find reasons to crash at your place for the night just so they can enjoy this space.

Connecting this room with the style of the kitchen isn’t a challenge when you’ve got kitchen and bath contractors with design skills.  Start with the flooring. The color ties with the theme established by the kitchen.

Next, the cabinetry emulates the simplistic design of the Shaker door panel, but adds a rustic touch. This is easily achieved by using different hardware and a different finish on the cabinet.  They look the same, but completely different at the same time. Neat trick, huh?

Next, the stone on the wall matches the rustic tone set by the cabinetry, but the clean and simple lines of the floating mirror match the industrial vibe of the appliances in the kitchen. A framed mirror would not give the same look.

The need for whimsy is amply supplied by the wall lighting next to the mirror. While the glass of the mirror is all business, the glass facets on the wall lights can’t be anything else but fun. Where did you see that before? That’s right, the use of one whimsical element in the kitchen and one whimsical element in this bath are the clear signs these  kitchen and bath contractors know their trade.

Mastering the Master Bath

The final challenge is pulling it all together in the master bath.  It all starts with the barn doors.  Like Shaker cabinets, barn doors have been around for ages. It’s only lately that they’ve left the confines of the barn and wandered into the house. In the right place, they look spectacular. This bathroom is the right place.

The simple lines of the door and the hardware are aligned closely with those used in the guest bath.  The tile coordinates with the tile in the kitchen and other bath.  By keeping the same color palette on the floor, there are more opportunities for individualizing the room while still keeping it stylistically connected to the rest of the house.

The soaking tub continues with the lines found in the kitchen. Clean and simple. That tub is luxury and all business. Of course with something that serious, you need a little whimsy. That’s provided by the plumbing fixtures.

Next, the color on the walls is reminiscent of the veins found on the countertop in the kitchen.  Lastly, the woodlook tile in the shower contrasts nicely with the real wood of the barn doors. 

Kitchen and Bath Contractors Pull It All Together

Whether you are doing a single room or the whole house, you need kitchen and bath contractors that can pull it all together to pull off a cohesive look. You need the design/build team at Inspired Remodels. Call or contact online to discuss your next project. Traditional, retro and whimsy. If you can dream it they can make it come to life.

Call (949) 716-1938 or Contact Us online today.

 

 

 

mixing metals in a strong kitchen renovation trend for 2019

Flooring Contractor Dishes on Wood-look Tile

By / Bathroom Remodel, Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off on Flooring Contractor Dishes on Wood-look Tile

Wood-look tile looks like a long-term trend. Tile can go where wood wouldn’t dare. Advances in tile-making technology are producing tile that looks close enough to wood you might fool termites. That is until they take their first bite. If you’re considering wood-look tile, get the scoop from Inspired Remodels, the Orange County flooring contractor that knows wood-look tile.

flooring contractor installed durable wood-look tile in kitchen for easy maintenance

What is Wood-Look Tile?

Wood-look tile is a ceramic or porcelain tile that looks like wood. It is what it says. However, porcelain and ceramic are different. Porcelain is better suited for the kitchen. It resists stains better and is more durable.

Some wood-look tile incorporates grain. Not only does it look like wood, it feels like wood under your feet. But, it outperforms wood time and again.

flooring contractor uses wood-look tiles in bathroom

What Makes Tile Better Than Wood?

Tile is durable. So is wood, but wood needs to be refinished. Tile floors don’t need to be refinished. Wood shows scratches, nicks, and dings. Tile stands up to abuse.

Water swells wood. Porcelain tile doesn’t absorb water. To qualify as porcelain, water absorption must be one-tenth of one percent or less (< 1/10th of 1%).flooring contractor uses wood-look tile in bathroom That’s why wood-look tile is perfect for bathrooms, mud rooms and spa retreats. All the beauty of wood without the water-damage worry.

Maintaining tile is easy. Wood maintenance requires special products and techniques. Wood-look tile does not. Vacuum, sweep or mop. The choice is yours. Just keep it clean and it looks good for years.

Wood-Look Tile is Versatile

Wood-look tile is at home in any room in your home. It looks well with dark cabinets. Install it with light cabinetry. Doesn’t matter the wood used to make your wood cabinets, wood-look tile has an option to complement it. In the kitchen, it works and plays well with all appliance finishes.  In the bathroom, you can use any color fixture. Any flooring contractor will tell you that wood-look tile doesn’t limit you, it actually makes more choices available.

Wood isn’t appropriate for high-traffic areas. Wood-look tile is. Foot traffic is no match for tile. It takes a beating and cleans up with a mopping. You can’t say that for wood floors. So, wood-look tile is perfect for entryways and mud rooms. You can even use some wood-look tile on exterior spaces to unify your home, inside and out.

Start with the Flooring Contractor that Knows Wood and Tile

Before you start shopping new floors, start with a flooring contractor that knows the pros and cons of all flooring. Call Joe at Inspired Remodels. Expert advice isn’t far away. Inspired Remodels is the Orange County based flooring contractor that works with all flooring materials. From porcelain, ceramic and glass tile to wood and high-end laminate, Inspired Remodels knows the brands that last and the looks you’ll love. Call (949) 716-1938 and schedule your consultation today.